(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- According to new research, parents who bank stem
cells from the blood and tissue of the umbilical cord at the time of birth could
provide a legacy of therapeutic options for muscle, bone and some blood
disorders for their children, should they be needed at some point in the future.
Umbilical cord tissue cells can be expanded to greater number, are remarkably
stable and might not trigger strong immune responses, according to senior
investigator Bridget M. Deasy, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of
Orthopaedic Surgery, Pitt School of Medicine. The cells are obtained from the
gelatinous material in the cord known as Wharton's jelly and from blood vessel
walls.
"Our experiments indicate also that at least 21 million stem cells, and possibly
as many as 500 million, could be banked from a single umbilical cord after the
birth of a baby," Deasy was quoted as saying. "So, the cord could become an
accessible source of a multitude of stem cells that overcomes many of the
restrictions, such as limited quantity as well as donor age and donor sex
issues, that come with other adult stem cell populations."
Dr. Deasy and her team analyzed sections of two-foot-long human umbilical cords
that were donated for research, looking for cells in Wharton's jelly and blood
vessel walls that displayed the characteristic protein markers found in stem
cells derived from other sources. The researchers then sought to find the best
way to isolate the stem cells from the cords, and tested them in the lab to
confirm their ability to produce specialized cells, such as bone and cartilage,
while retaining their invaluable ability to renew themselves.
To build on these findings, the team will test the umbilical cord stem cells in
animal models of cartilage and bone repair, as well as muscle regeneration.
SOURCE: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, December 17, 2009
